In a photo from his scrapbook, Thomas Donald Robinson stands in front of the first car he purchased with his own money, which he said was a 1929 Ford. The photo was taken in 1933.
Closing in on his 100th birthday last month, Thomas Donald Robinson drove to the Registry of Motor Vehicles branch in Watertown to renew his license.
"What could you do without your car?" the Belmont resident asked during an interview. "You'd have to live a secluded life."
Some of his elders apparently share the sentiment. Of the 4.6 million active licenses in Massachusetts, 77 of the drivers are 100 years old, 40 are 101, 20 are 102, and seven are 103, according to the Registry.
There are no special rules for older drivers in Massachusetts, but a movement is afoot to change that. After a second-grader in Randolph was seriously injured this month by a car that police said was driven by an 86-year-old man, Governor Deval Patrick said he would support legislation requiring older drivers to take vision and road tests.
State Senator Brian A. Joyce, a Milton Democrat, has been pushing legislation that would require all drivers 85 and older to take vision and road tests when they renew their licenses.
Robinson said he wouldn't have a problem taking the test. "If I had to, I would take it," he said, "but I don't think I'd be afraid because I have confidence in my driving."
Robinson said he took a vision test when he last renewed his license. He drives almost daily, taking trips to the grocery store, to church, to restaurants for lunch, and to visit his friends. He does not, however, drive in the dark.
Ann Dufresne, a Registry spokeswoman, said licenses must be renewed every five years at a branch, by mail, or online. Vision tests are performed whenever a license is renewed at a branch, but are required every 10 years for people who renew by mail or online. In the latter cases, drivers must certify that there have been no changes in their vision, she said.
The Joyce proposal would keep the five-year interval, but add the road test and make the vision test mandatory for older drivers.
Dufresne said the Registry already has "an aggressive outreach education" program for seniors. About 20 days a month, Registry instructors present hourlong workshops at community meetings with councils on aging and senior activist groups.
Seniors learn about physical signs to look for when their driving abilities start to diminish, transportation alternatives, and ways to cope with losing their licenses. The Registry website also has information geared toward "mature drivers," such as warning signs, driver evaluation programs, and tips for families worried about an aging driver.
JENNIFER FENN LEFFERTS
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
